Jeux Olympiques / Berlin / 1936 / Leni Riefenstahl / Les Dieux du Stade (Olympia)

Summary

The script discusses Leni Riefenstahl's groundbreaking film 'Olympia,' commissioned by the Nazi regime as a propaganda tool. Financed entirely by the state through a front company, the film was a massive production, costing 2 million Reich marks. Riefenstahl's innovative filming techniques, such as using low angles and slow motion, captured the beauty and power of athletes, regardless of their race. Despite the film's artistic achievements, it also served to glorify the Nazi's Aryan ideals. The script also hints at Hitler's initial reluctance to attend the 1936 Olympics, but his eventual change of heart after Germany's early successes. The summary also touches on the complex character of Hitler, as described by Ambassador André François Poncet.

Takeaways

• 🎬 Leni Riefenstahl directed 'Olympia', a film about the 1936 Berlin Olympics, showcasing athletic prowess and the beauty of the human form.
• 💰 The film was fully financed by the government, which saw it as an excellent propaganda tool, despite the illusion of its independence through a company called 'Ecran'.
• 📈 The production was massive, costing 2 million Reich marks, four times the budget of a typical film at the time, and involved up to 60 camera operators for key moments.
• 📹 Riefenstahl's innovative filming techniques included digging trenches for ground-level shots, using moving cameras on rails, and slow-motion to capture the athletes' movements and expressions.
• 🏆 The film 'Olympia' celebrates not just the competitions but also the beauty, strength, and grace of the athletes, regardless of their race or nationality.
• 🤹‍♀️ Riefenstahl was involved in every aspect of the production, striving to capture every moment, making her the 'goddess of the stadium games'.
• 🎞️ The film required extensive post-production work, including two years of editing and the development of 400,000 meters of film from 250 hours of footage.
• 🎨 'Olympia' is not just a film about the games but also a cinematic achievement, showcasing Riefenstahl's mastery of visual storytelling and her ability to create a spectacle.
• 🎭 Despite the grandeur of the film, it subtly omits the key figure of Adolf Hitler, who was initially reluctant to attend the games but changed his mind after Germany's early success.
• 👥 The film also faced conflicts with officials and had to recreate missed events, sometimes fabricating moments to ensure a complete narrative.
• 👁️ The portrayal of Hitler in the script is complex, describing him as having three distinct faces reflecting different aspects of his nature: a troubled dreamer, a passionate and violent leader, and a simple, naive man.

Q & A

Who is Leni Riefenstahl and what was her role in the production of 'Olympia'?

Leni Riefenstahl was a German film director, producer, and editor, known for her work during the Nazi era. She was commissioned to direct and produce 'Olympia', a film documenting the 1936 Olympic Games, which she claimed was fully financed by the Nazi regime as an excellent advertisement for their age.

Why did the Nazi regime decide to finance 'Olympia' entirely?

The Nazi regime decided to finance 'Olympia' entirely because they believed that the film would serve as an excellent advertisement for their era and that it fell under the jurisdiction of their ministry, which was done through a company called 'Ecran', creating the illusion of the film's independence.

What was the cost of producing 'Olympia'?

The production of 'Olympia' cost 2 million Reich marks, which was four times the budget of a typical film of that time.

How many people were involved in the making of 'Olympia'?

The production team for 'Olympia' consisted of 300 people working continuously throughout the process.

How much film was used in the making of 'Olympia'?

Four hundred thousand meters of film were used in the making of 'Olympia', with 250 hours of footage shot.

How long did it take to edit 'Olympia'?

It took two years to edit 'Olympia'.

What innovative filming techniques did Leni Riefenstahl use in 'Olympia'?

Leni Riefenstahl used several innovative filming techniques in 'Olympia', such as digging trenches in the stadium to film at ground level, using a camera on a dolly to capture movement, filming in slow motion, and employing giant telephoto lenses to capture details of javelins, weights, and discs being thrown.

What was the approach to filming events that were missed or needed to be reshot in 'Olympia'?

Leni Riefenstahl would sometimes reconstruct missed events with the athletes themselves, recreating the scenes and even staging moments from scratch if necessary, to ensure that no detail was missed.

How did Leni Riefenstahl's portrayal of the 1936 Olympics differ from the actual events?

Leni Riefenstahl's portrayal of the 1936 Olympics in 'Olympia' was highly stylized and aimed to celebrate the beauty of the athletes' bodies and the spirit of the sporting event, often omitting or reconstructing events to fit her artistic vision.

What was the perception of the 1936 Olympics after watching 'Olympia'?

After watching 'Olympia', the perception of the 1936 Olympics was that of a sublime competition between the best athletes, a beautiful interlude in history, and one of the most beautiful Olympic Games.

How did Leni Riefenstahl's film 'Olympia' influence the portrayal of sports in cinema?

Leni Riefenstahl's 'Olympia' had a significant influence on the portrayal of sports in cinema by introducing innovative filming techniques and a focus on the beauty and power of the athletes' bodies, as well as the choreography of their movements.